Devil's Snare
by Solfege
Summary: Over the years, the boy and the girl both fell in and out of love, but not with each other – not yet. Because Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy had nothing in common. Not one thing.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Hi there! This is my first story. Ever. So any and all feedback would really be appreciated. Like it? What did I do right? Hate it? What could I have done better?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own a thing! This whole story is going to be based off of characters and situations created by the lovely J.K. Rowling.

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

Once upon a time, there was a boy and a girl who lived together in a beautiful castle that was full to the brim with magic, history, mystery, and mayhem.

Over the years, the boy and the girl fell in and out of trouble, but not for the same reasons.

Over the years, the boy and the girl both fell in and out of love, but not with each other – not yet. Because Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy had nothing in common. Not one thing.


	2. Mates or Dates

**AN: **So here I am, with my first real chapter ever! How exciting! (Exclamation point!) This is the result of one night of binge writing, and I really hope someone out there likes this.

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own a thing!

**Chapter 1. Mates or Dates**

"I've been thinking, we have a lot in common, Rose."

Our story begins with a proposal made to a girl from a very eager boy, in the library, in hushed tones:

"So, how about it, then? Want to go Hogsmeade with me?"

With one word, Rose Weasley held incredible amounts of power. She would change not just her own life, but the lives of at least two others in the castle. Rose Weasley was messing with fate. Of course, as with most sixteen year olds, none of this occurred to her as she gave her spur-of-the-moment answer.

But first, let's examine how this situation came to be.

* * *

><p>It started on Rose's first day at Hogwarts, really.<p>

Rose Weasley saw Scorpius Malfoy for the first time on September 1, 2017. The Hogwarts Express was preparing to depart, and Rose was beginning to feel an uneasy sensation in her stomach. She loved her parents, and her little brother, Hugo. And what if she got homesick? What if she wasn't in Gryffindor like her parents? What if she was terrible at all the subjects?

Just then, Albus Potter caught Rose's eye, and the cousins grinned at each other. Rose felt the nervous feeling die down a bit. She was being ridiculous. Albus and Rose had been excited to attend Hogwarts together for as long as she could remember, and now, it was really going to happen.

Oh God. It was REALLY going to happen. And just as suddenly as she had re-entered reality just moments before, Rose became lost in her own mind once again, pondering all of the (barely) possible, and increasingly terrifying situations that could happen at Hogwarts, from magical bug bites to being drowned by mermaids. She was in the middle of a particularly disturbing fantasy involving being accidentally poisoned in Potions class and dying a gruesome, dramatic death, complete with convulsing on the floor of the dungeon, while everyone looked on in horror, when her father's voice broke into her thoughts.

"So that's little Scorpius. Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains," Ronald Weasley remarked, looking at the pale, blonde-haired boy hugging his parents.

"Ron, for heaven's sake. Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!"

Eleven-year-old Rose had to smile. She really was going to miss her parent's (loving) bickering, her father's sense of humor, and her mother's sound advice.

Just last week, her parents had called her down from her room. As soon as Rose stepped into the kitchen, she knew something was going to happen. Hermione cracked first, rushing up to Rose and embracing her in a tight hug.

"Your father I love you so much, and we're so proud of you, and we want to keep in touch while you're at Hogwarts, of course," Hermione said.

"So, we've got you something!" Ron added, excitedly, and produced the most beautiful owl Rose had ever seen. She was a lovely barn owl, and as soon as Rose saw her, she drew in a breath.

"Mum, dad, she's gorgeous!" Rose exclaimed, holding out her hand to the owl, who nipped at it affectionately.

Rose named her new owl Felicis, because she wanted to bring a little luck with her to Hogwarts.

As Rose stepped onto the train, she was well aware that Scorpius Malfoy was staring at her. However, she shrugged it off. It was nothing.

The first conversation Rose Weasley had with Scorpius Malfoy took place just a few days after she first saw him on Platform Nine and Three Quarters. During the first week of classes, before going to Potions for the first time, Rose realized that she left her book in Gryffindor Tower. She rushed up to the seventh-floor entrance, distractedly gave the Fat Lady the password ("Gillyweed!"), grabbed her book, and ran back out. She was on the stairs, fretting about being late for her first Potions lesson ever, when all of a sudden, she couldn't move. Literally. Rose Weasley had just stepped into the trick step. She could distinctly remember her cousin James' laughing face, as he told a story last Christmas, about the boy who got stuck in the trick step for five hours, while Peeves sang rude songs, and threw things at him.

Oh no. This couldn't be happening. People would talk for ages about the stupid first year who got stuck in the trick step. She'd be known as "The Trick Step Girl" for the next seven years. She'd never live it down.

"Didn't anyone warn you about the trick step?" came a drawling voice from behind her.

Rose turned around as much as she was physically able, only to see that blond-haired boy her parents had been talking about at the train platform. His arms were crossed, and his chin was stuck up towards the ceiling, giving off an air of superiority.

"Of course someone told me, but I was in a rush," she explained, shooting the boy a dirty look. It probably wasn't the best idea to turn the only sign of potential help against her, but she couldn't keep her temper in check, and she only wanted to wipe the smirk off of his face.

Instead, his smirk grew a little bit bigger, as he held out his hand to her, and pulled her up.

"Be a bit more careful next time, yeah?" he sneered at her, and stalked off.

Rose gathered her belongings and tossed them haughtily over her shoulder. Of course, that Malfoy boy had to find her. Now she would really never hear the end of it. It was only a matter of time before the whole school would be talking about her blunder, and she would be on the receiving end of several mocking comments every time she walked down the corridors.

But the whispering, and the pointing, and the rumors never came. Scorpius Malfoy never told a soul.

As her father predicted, Rose quickly rose to the top of her class. And right on her heels was none other than Scorpius Malfoy. Anytime Rose felt like skiving off on an assignment, she just pictured Malfoy's gloating face as he held up an O, while Rose only had an E. Both Rose and Scorpius reveled in the competition.

By third year, they still weren't quite friends, but their relationship wasn't strictly based on pure competition any longer.

Then, in the spring of their third year came the event that Rose liked to think of as "The Hospital Wing Pact." Rose was jostled into alertness after dozing off on her cot in the Hospital Wing when heard a familiar drawling voice arguing with Madame Pomfrey.

"Really, I'm fine. Staying overnight is unnecessary."

Rose had to smile. She had said those very words just two hours ago, but of course Madame Pomfrey had brushed them off.

Malfoy was brought over to the cot next to Rose's, and as Madame Pomfrey rushed off to get supplies and potions from her office, he turned to Rose.

"She's a madwoman," he said.

"Tell me about it. I have to stay here at least three nights, she's saying. The Bludger didn't even hit me that hard, you know."

"It looked awful. Goyle is a right prat, you know. Can't believe he'd stoop so low as to aim the Bludger at someone in the stands."

"He only did it because I told him I didn't want to go to Hogsmeade with him."

"Still a prat."

"Can't argue with that. So why are you here?"

"Well…I…well…"

"Fist fighting at Hogwarts! Imagine! You're lucky you don't have detention for the rest of your life, Mr. Malfoy," tutted Madame Pomfrey, as she re-entered the wing with a Potion, "Take this, you," she said, pushing the potion towards Malfoy, and shuffling back to her office.

"Fist fighting! And you had the nerve to call Goyle a prat," Rose chided.

"It was Goyle."

"What?"

"It was Goyle. He lost us the game with all those foul shots, even with me catching the Snitch."

"You're still a prat. And I don't see Goyle in the Hospital Wing, so maybe that will teach you not to pick fights."

"Goyle's not in the Hospital Wing because he's at St. Mungo's. Am I still a prat?"

"Yes," said Rose after a moment of stunned silence, "Still a prat."

Two nights later, Rose was pretending to sleep when she heard Malfoy call her name.

"Weasley? You awake?"

"Yes."

"Does it make you mad that everyone kind of forgets about you when you're in the Hospital Wing?"

Rose was taken aback. It was as if Malfoy had read her mind, just then. Nobody had come to see her besides Albus and Tove.

"Yes. I can't stand it, actually."

And that was how, at two AM one night, in the middle of the Hospital Wing, a pact was made.

"Shake on it, Weasley."

Rose held out her hand, and the two shook.

"This is our secret of course," Malfoy added.

"Naturally."

According to their Hospital Wing Pact, whenever either one ended up in the Hospital Wing, even if it was all their fault for being a prat, the other would be required to visit at least once a day, and bring gifts. ("Preferably Honeydukes fresh fudge and Sugar Quills," as Rose had added, last minute.)

The Pact was among the best kept secrets at Hogwarts, and since both Rose and Scorpius had more than their share of Hospital Wing visits, the two got to know each other this way, apart from all of the classroom competition.

The summer before her fifth year, Rose's Hogwarts letter was thicker than usual. She brought the Hogwarts owl over to Felicis' cage to rest before flying back to the castle, and tore open the letter, to see a small badge fall out onto the floor.

"Mum! Dad! I'm…a…I'm a prefect!"

Scorpius Malfoy was a prefect, too. At least that's what Rose learned from Tove's letter the following week. Not that she cared or anything. It was just nice to know who the fellow prefects in her year were. That's all.

"Normally, we'd just keep it simple and pair up prefects for patrols based on year and House," said the new Head Girl, Alivia McDonough, at Rose's very first prefect meeting.

"But this year, we're trying something new. It's to encourage unity between Houses!" added Head Boy Roger Darwin, with too much strained enthusiasm to be natural.

A few of the older prefects groaned, but most of the fifth years like Rose just looked around curiously, checking to make sure there wasn't anyone in the room that they absolutely couldn't be paired up with.

And that is how Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy ended up doing their patrols together.

"So what exactly does one do on a patrol?" she asked, as she met Malfoy by the entrance to the Great Hall.

"Burst into broom closets, and bust people for snogging, I imagine."

"I suppose."

Rose left for patrols thinking that it was going to be the most awkward experience of her life, walking the castle with Malfoy – but she was wrong. There was something fun about it.

By the second hour, the pair was having fun with it. They took turns at all the closets they passed, shouting out ludicrous things like, "Open up! Snog police!" They had only managed to actually catch one couple, and they were too busy laughing about it to actually give the lovers too much trouble.

Through Hospital Wing Pacts, and prefect patrols, Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy became something like friends. They weren't quite mates, but they were…something like it.

* * *

><p>And while even Rose Weasley, who was notoriously stubborn, knew that there was something special about Scorpius Malfoy, she didn't think that they would ever be more than mates, if you could even call them that.<p>

So when Donovan MacBean sauntered up to Rose as she studied in the library for that pesky Transfiguration exam, it did not even occur to her to answer with a "no."

As far as she could tell, she had no other romantic prospects, and besides, it was just one date. One date in Hogsmeade, with a boy who, she had to admit, was pretty darn cute.

If Rose knew who had been standing behind the nearest book shelf for the last hour, peering out at Rose between the library's copies of _Potions for Emotions: Mood-Regulating Potions for all Occasions_ and _Potioneering Explored: So You Want a Career in Potions?_ wanting nothing more than to gather up enough courage to ask the very same question, would she have answered differently?


	3. Potions and Perfection

**AN:** I hope you guys don't hate me for Donovan MacBean, you know, existing.

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own a thing!

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><p><strong>Chapter 2. Potions and Perfection<strong>

Barely had the words escaped Rose's mouth when a loud crash was heard from the Potions section. Donovan and Rose exchanged a puzzled glance, and after a few moments of confused silence, Rose excused herself.

"You know, I really ought to go check that out. Prefect duties, and all. I need to make sure a first year didn't just blow up the whole section or anything like that."

"Right," answered Donovan, Rose's fellow sixth-year Gryffindor. "Good luck with that. I'll see you soon, yeah?"

And on that note, Rose stalked away, over to the shelves where the crash had come from.

"Malfoy?"

Scorpius Malfoy was leaning casually against the newly broken bookshelf, nose stuck in a copy of _Exploring Potioneering_.

"Oh, Rose! Didn't see you there…what a coincidence! I'm just…just catching up. Catching up on some reading."

"You broke a bookshelf while reading?" Rose pointed her wand at the offending shelf, "_Reparo_."

"I get enthusiastic about my literature, I'll have you know!" came his voice, no longer flustered.

"Right. I didn't know you wanted a career in Potion-making," Rose said, gesturing towards his book.

"What? Oh. Right. Never too early to explore my options, I always say."

"I've never heard you say that," Rose answered with a quizzical expression, replacing the books on the shelf, "Personally, I have no idea what I want to do. It seems like everyone else knows just what career they want, and then…there's me."

Why did she just tell him that? Nobody knew that, not even Albus or Tove.

Scorpius shoved the book back in its place, "To be honest, I don't know what I want to do either. Every time I imagine the future, the only thing I can picture is Quidditch. But that's not the most steady plan, you know?"

For the first time in a while, Rose didn't feel so alone after all. There was someone else in the same boat as her!

"If it means anything to you, I bet you'd be a brilliant Seeker."

"Really?"

"Any team would be lucky to have you."

"Thanks. It does mean a lot."

And as Rose flashed him her beautiful smile and turned to walk away, Scorpius Malfoy felt his heart sinking. He wanted to call out and tell her that she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever met, and he'd known it since first year, and that Donovan MacBean didn't deserve her, and that prefect patrols and Hospital Wing visits were the best part of Hogwarts and it was all because of her.

He wanted to tell her everything, but instead, he kept his mouth shut tight and let her walk away.

* * *

><p>Tove Mazel was going to be the first female Minister of Magic. Ask anyone at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry about Tove, and they'd tell you that. Tove Mazel was a top student, involved in countless Clubs, and still had time for her many, many friends. Additionally, Tove Mazel was simply lovely, with her long, dark hair, and her dazzling smile. Tove Mazel was the girl that everyone wanted to hate, but couldn't, because on top of everything else, Tove Mazel was a genuinely nice person.<p>

And with Tove Mazel as your best friend, it is easy to feel a little inadequate.

As soon as Rose returned to the Gryffindor common room, she was blindsided.

"ROSE!" came the shout from her overenthusiastic friend, "Sit down, you're in big trouble, missy."

And within seconds, Tove was at her side and talking a million words per minute (or so it seemed). "What's this about you going to Hogsmeade with Donovan MacBean? You know he's fancied you for the longest time, I never thought he'd actually do anything though! I'm so happy for him, it's about time he bucked up. But more importantly, WHY did I have to find out from Hilliard who found out from Albus who found out from Donovan? YOU should have told me. I thought we were best friends!" she finally finished, looking severely affronted.

"Tove, I only just got back from the library. He asked me about 10 minutes ago, and I was just on my way to tell you. I swear."

"Well, maybe you should make it up to me then. I was in agony for a moment there. Questioning the legitimacy of our friendship, I was. So, that Potions homework is killer, mind if I take a look at yours?"

Hogwarts Gossip Mill: 1, Rose: 0

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><p>Tove Mazel has a dirty secret: she's not perfect.<p>

In fact, she's pretty far from it. It started the summer of fifth year, when a familiar owl tapped on her window.

Tove walked over and unlatched her window, "Hi there, Felicis," she said to her best friend's owl, all the while wondering if it was crazy to talk to owls.

Opening the letter, her smile faltered only slightly. Of course Rose was the prefect for her year. She had been foolish to think for a second that she had a chance.

Over the next few days, after she had already written and sent back her best, "I'm-so-happy-for-you-and-I-can't-think-of-anyone-who-deserves-it-more-let's-meet-up-in-Diagon-Alley-soon" reply, it began to eat away at her. Why wasn't she prefect? Wasn't she good enough?

It was then, that Tove Mazel decided to be perfect. Or maybe not to be perfect, but to convince everyone else that she was. Unfortunately for Tove, she had no idea that the surest way to make sure that you never achieve perfection, is to be obsessed with it.

So when Tove returned to Hogwarts that September, she was a little bit dizzy, perhaps because she hadn't been eating as much as she should, because, as she told herself, perfect girls were skinny. And perhaps she wore more makeup than usual, but it was just to look nice. Really. And if there were scars that hadn't been on her body before, she would toss her hair back and laugh about how clumsy she was, always falling everywhere, and you would believe her.

And when her boyfriend told her that October that he loved her, she didn't believe him, but let him do what he wanted with her anyways, because that was what a perfect girlfriend would do, right?

And after Tove tasted firewhiskey for the first time, it didn't take long for her to find a new way to cope.

* * *

><p>That Saturday was the Hogsmeade visit, and to say Rose was nervous was an understatement. She had always just gone with her friends from her House, never with a date.<p>

That morning, as she entered her dormitory after a quick, early breakfast, she was immediately accosted.

Tove was standing there with Hilliard Bennett, another sixth-year. Together, they were armed with makeup that Rose didn't recognize the use for, and more clothes than she had ever seen in her life.

"Sit," Tove said, in her best serious voice, pointing at the stool she had somehow procured, in front a huge mirror that hadn't been there before.

Rose didn't see the point in arguing. Instead, she sat.

"How did Hilly get in here? I mean, he may be flamboyant to the extreme, but he's still a guy."

"Oh, it wasn't easy," Tove answered ambiguously, "Let's just say, I've never sweat so much in my life." That was a Tove thing. She was always saying things like, "You gotta keep 'em guessing. Tell people too much, and they get bored. A little mystery goes a long way."

Hilliard walked over to Rose, grabbed a lock of red hair, and frowned down at it. "Right, so Tove can work with this, and then I'll start on wardrobe and makeup."

"It's just a date! Honestly," Rose scoffed at them.

"We just thought a makeover would be fun. This has got nothing to do with your DATE TOMORROW WITH DONOVAN OR ANYTHING!" Tove exclaimed, unable to hide her excitement.

"Enjoy it, Barbie," Hilly added.

"Barbie?" Tove and Rose chorused.

"It's a Muggle-born thing, I guess," Hilly shrugged.

And as the duo got to work, Rose had to admit, they really knew what they were doing. Tove's wand had curled Rose's hair into soft, cascading curls, and the dress and boots combination outfit that Hilliard had picked out was beyond fabulous.

"Perfect," Tove said, standing back to admire their creation.

"Donovan is a lucky man," added Hilliard.

* * *

><p>"What kind of person likes the Unforgiveables more than the Weird Sisters? The Unforgiveables are a just another rip-off of the Weird Sisters."<p>

"The Weird Sisters may be classic, but the Unforgiveables have taken their whole concept and made it better!" Rose protested.

"Agree to disagree?" Donovan asked.

"Deal."

The date was going remarkably well. Donovan was easy to talk to, even if his musical taste was seriously skewed. It wasn't exactly a dealbreaker. They had started off the day at Zonko's where they mostly just gawked at the merchandise and played with it, until a disgruntled employee asked if they planned to buy anything. When Donovan very honestly answered "No," and they both cracked up, the employee shooed them out.

("He works in a joke shop! Honestly! He ought to be a little bit more lighthearted!" Donovan commented, as Rose just mused, "I've never been kicked out of a store before. Perhaps you're corrupting me already.") Next, they stopped at Honeydukes. Of course, Rose remembered to restock on fudge, Jelly Slugs, and Sugar Quills, remembering that her emergency stash for Scorpius in case of hospital visits was diminished.

The pair came to a stop in front of the Three Broomsticks. "Care for a butterbeer?" Donovan asked, gesturing to the doorway.

He held the door open for Rose, as she stepped in, the familiar atmosphere engulfing her.

As soon as they found an open table (not an easy task), Donovan stood up. "I'll just get us some drinks. Be right back."

Rose took the opportunity to get lost in her thoughts. Donovan was nice. Really nice. She was enjoying herself, a lot. She had never really given Donovan a chance before, or even thought of him in a romantic way.

She felt someone slide into the booth across from her. She lifted her eyes, "You're back ear…Oh."

Scorpius Malfoy flashed a dazzling smile back at her.

"You looked lonely. Thought I'd keep you company while you're waiting for…him."

They both looked at Donovan, who has about halfway to the counter in the line at this point.

"Well, thanks."

"Are those for me?" he asked, pointing at Rose's Honeydukes bag, a smile creeping onto his normally stoic face.

Rose grinned back at him, "Maybe. But there are requirements to getting them, you know."

"Requirements?" he asked, feigning interest. "What sort of requirements?"

"Well, a broken bone can get you a Sugar Quill or a Jelly Slug, but it's not enough for a piece of fresh fudge. For potions, magical creatures, and spell-related injuries it's based on how amusing I find the potion or spell or bite or attack that landed you in the Hospital Wing in the first place. Additional candy can be given if you tell a really good story about your hospitalization, no matter what the injury is. Do something that needs a week or more of hospitalization, and you get a choice of your candy."

"You have a system? To think, this whole time I thought you just brought me candy on a whim."

"Oh, and if you can come up with an injury that's so original that I haven't even thought of it being possible before, I'll give you the whole damn stash."

"Sounds like a challenge, Weasley."

"Take it to mean whatever you want, Malfoy."

At that moment, Donovan returned, holding two butterbeers.

"Oh. Hello, Malfoy," he said, looking more tense than he had the entire day.

"Don't worry MacBean, I'll get out of your way. I was just leaving."

And as quickly as he came, Scorpius Malfoy was gone.


	4. Secrets and Snogging

**A/N:** Forever sorry this took so long! I had so much to do with picking my college, and graduating high school, that this got pushed to the back burner. Then, I realized that this wasn't going exactly like I wanted, so I did some revamping, and voila, here's your chapter. Enjoy, I hope. And any suggestions/comments/whatever are welcome. I'm new to this and any and all input will be helpful!

**Disclaimer:** Yeah. I do not take any credit for the wonderful wizarding world of J.K. Rowling.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3. Secrets and Snogging<strong>

The second Rose entered Gryffindor tower, she was accosted. Being friends with Tove and Hilliard (not to mention having half of her family at Hogwarts with her) made such a thing a common occurrence.

"Are you going to keep me waiting, Barbie?" asked Hilliard.

"Seriously, Rose! How was it?" gushed Tove, "Donovan came in not too long ago, and he looked like he got hit by one too many Cheering Charms."

"I've never seen a grin that big. What did you do to him, Rose?" added Hilliard with a pout, "Lucky girl."

Tove smacked Hilliard with her Charms book, "Keep it in your parts, Hilly. You are such a stereotype."

Letting out a giggle at her friends and their ridiculous antics, Rose collapsed into her favorite chair by the fire. Two sets of curious eyes gazed down at her.

"Donovan has terrible taste in music," she finally said.

"That's it? That's what you decide to tell us?" Hilliard scoffed.

"Well, the Unforgiveables are obviously far superior to the Weird Sisters. And this is important."

"Of course," supplied Tove.

"But how was the _date_? Who cares about a bloke's taste in music when he has an ass like that?" said Hilliard, earning him yet another smack from Tove's book (and a very sassy, "Well, then why don't you have a go with him?").

"The date was great. Donovan's nice, y'know?"

"Oh. I know this Rose," Tove sunk into the chair beside Rose, letting out a dramatic sigh, "This is 'trying-to-be-nice-Rose.' This is 'we-had-no-chemistry-at-all' Rose. This is 'I'd-rather-be-friends-Rose.' I'm right, aren't I?"

"…I think so. It's just, Donovan is really sweet and I'd love to be his friend, but…that's it. You know?"

"I know. I knew it with Davies in fourth year, and Corner, and Vance last year."

"You went out with Corner? And you let him go?" Hilliard asked, incredulous.

"I didn't even like him."

"You still could have kept him around and snogged him!"

"Not helping!" Tove sent a glare at Hilliard, "Rose…do you think that maybe you have these really high expectations that no bloke could ever live up to? You never really give them a chance. I mean, Donovan really likes you."

"You can say that again!" came the voice of Albus Potter, who plopped himself unceremoniously across from the two girls. "He won't shut up. I had to leave the dormitory just to get away from him."

"Shit. He doesn't really like me, can he? He doesn't even know me, really."

"Don't worry. I bet he would just love the chance to _get to know you._"

"Albus!"

"Sorry. But it's true, Rose."

"Well, how do I tell him that I don't want to be anything more than friends."

"'I don't want to be anything more than friends' usually works for me," offered Albus.

"Prat."

"He's right, Rose. I know you, and I know it's the last thing you want to do, but you can't just run away from your problems," said Tove, "I still think you should give him a chance, though."

"Bloody hypocrite," muttered Rose under her breath. It was common knowledge that Albus (along with a good chunk of the male population at Hogwarts) had a major crush on Tove, and "giving him a chance" was far from likely.

"I'll think about it," Rose finally conceded, with no intentions to think about it whatsoever.

* * *

><p>That night, tucked into bed inside her dormitory, Rose could have sworn that she saw a figure creep past her bed, through the door, and exit the dorm. But, telling herself she was hallucinating in her sleepy state, Rose lay her head back down on her soft, red pillow with gold trim, and drifted back to sleep.<p>

But it wasn't a hallucination. The figure was very much real, and it was very much Tove Mazel.

Tove moved swiftly out of the Common Room, ignoring the Fat Lady's disgruntled protests. She was on a mission: Get to Hogsmeade. Get to The Three Broomsticks. Get a firewhiskey (or two or three or four). Get shitfaced drunk. Forget the shambles that her life was in back home. Forget Hogwarts and lessons and forget everything, because, yes, that sounds nice, doesn't it?

"_Dissendium," _she hissed as she tapped her wand against the statue of the one-eyed witch, checking over her shoulder. With a sense of urgency, she crept inside the passage way, making her trek to Honeyduke's cellar. Tove couldn't help but remember the first time she'd learned about the existence of such a passage.

She'd been in third year, and as awkward and gangly as could be. Her legs were too long for her body, and her hands were too big, and she didn't know what to do with them. But, all the same, she'd scored herself her very first serious relationship, with a fourth year Ravenclaw boy. After a night of awkward, rushed, sloppy, confused snogging, she'd been making her way back to Gryffindor Tower when she heard the tell-tale footsteps coming from the next hallway over.

At that moment, Tove had ducked into the nearest classroom. Her heart was pounding with the fear of nearly being caught out after curfew, as she flattened herself against the wall, trying to stay in the shadows.

The door opened, and in walked…nobody?

Tove let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. The door closed, and Tove stood straight up. What was going on?

Moments later, her unspoken question was answered, as James Potter, Rose's seventh year cousin, shrugged off the Invisibility Cloak he was shrouded in.

"What would you have done if I was a professor, Mini Mazel?" he grinned down at her.

Tove had just started laughing right then, her nerves coming out in fits of giggles.

"You're a weird one, Mazel," James had said, "And I'm ashamed that a Gryffindor doesn't know how to get around the castle better than this!"

The unlikely pair had spent the better part of the next two hours wandering the castle, with James pointing out every secret passage he had learned with the help of the infamous Marauders Map, which he had nicked from his father's desk one day.

"Who knew there were so many passages?" Tove had said, her eyes wide, taking it all in.

"There's more but some of them are blocked in now. And I reckon you'll never have to use the one under the Whomping Willow, so I won't bother to explain that one," James had answered. The pride that he had in knowing so much about the castle was plainly written on his face.

For the rest of the year, it was like James and Tove shared an inside joke. He'd always make some remark like, "Gotten lost lately?" whenever they passed, and neither would explain to Rose or Albus what was so funny about that.

At this point in her reverie, Tove had made it all the way to Honeyduke's cellar. Of course, the shop was closed, but Tove wasn't stupid. She charmed the alarms silent with a lazy, practiced flick of her wand, and was on her way to The Three Broomsticks in no time.

"The usual," she said, smiling softly when the bartender appeared before the stool she had slipped into. Even though she wasn't 17 yet, Tove had long ago acquired a fake ID.

The surly late night shift bartender nodded at her, before thrusting the strong liquor her way.

It was going to be a long night, thought Tove.

* * *

><p>"Good morning, sunshine!" Rose said, pulling open the curtains that surrounded Tove's bed.<p>

"No," was her only answer.

"Come on, don't you want breakfast? Everyone knows the best food is on Sunday, and it goes fast."

"Not hungry. Kill the sun. Too bright. Avada it."

"Tove, what's wrong with you? Are you okay?" Rose asked, concern evident in her voice.

"Don't feel good," came the mumble from the pillows.

"Do you want me to take you to the Hospital Wing?"

"No…I just want to sleep. Go get breakfast. I'm fine."

"Okay. You sure?"

"Yup."

Rose was torn. She didn't want to leave a friend in need, but it appeared her friend didn't want her there. Her morals were conflicting one another, and she stood still for a second, unsure what to do.

"Okay," she finally answered, "But if you need anything, let me know."

"Mmmmph."

Taking the sound as an agreement, Rose grabbed her bag, and went down to breakfast. As she entered the Great Hall, she immediately heard her name being called, with a distinct male voice.

"Rose! Hey Rose…look I meant to do this yesterday, but…"

And with that, Donovan MacBean grabbed Rose's face, and planted a kiss right on her lips.

"Good morning," he said, and walked away, eyes twinkling.

A low whistle sounded from behind where Rose stood, her brown eyes wide with shock at what had just happened.

"So much for just friends," Hilliard whispered into Rose's ear, eyebrows raised, "Nice plan, so how's that one working out for you?"


End file.
